Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Saturday's Forecast
Severe gale or storm, mobility very difficult
Severe conditions on the mountains, any movement very challenging, you may be blown over. 55-70mph+
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Flooding
Fast-flowing rivers and streams. Some routes may be impassable due to flooding.
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Severe gale or storm, mobility very difficult
Severe conditions on the mountains, any movement very challenging, you may be blown over. 55-70mph+
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Flooding
Fast-flowing rivers and streams. Some routes may be impassable due to flooding.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 24th October 2026
Last updated
Fri 23rd Oct 26 at
4:15PM
Summary for all mountain areas
The Pennines and east Scotland begin with weak sun through high cloud and largely dry. Western areas start cloudier with patchy rain, then Storm Boelo draws a swathe of heavy rain and severe gales eastward across all areas, a period of storm-force wind for many summits. Steams in spate, localised flooding.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Heavy rain and severe gales arrive; flood risk
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly, rising soon in morning to 40-50mph, reaching 70-80mph into afternoon, a swathe of stronger wind possible too; marked increase with height. Speed and direction vary somewhat, settling southwesterly later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Deteriorating, soon arduous walking in exposure with significant wind chill, conditions become severe with any mobility difficult on high terrain.
How Wet?
Dry to start, rain sets in, heaviest southwest with flood risk
Dry for a few hours from dawn, then patchy rain moves in from west, snow flurries above 1000m. Soon becoming all rain and rapidly setting in, some heavy falls, particularly Drumochter area. Showery into night, snow on tops. Streams in spate, flooding from previous rain.
Cloud on the hills?
Lowering to become extensive
For much of the morning, most cloud above the hills, apart from odd patches at varied heights, mostly southern Cairngorms. Increasingly cloud will lower onto hills, forming lowest in southwestern Cairngorms; some higher breaks may remain north for a time but will be extensive here for a time too.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80% in morning, dropping to 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A little weak sun through high cloud from dawn, but giving way to overcast skies. Good visibility becomes hazier, then poor as rain sets in.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1C through morning, rising to 4C by later afternoon, then falling again to 1C after dark. Feeling around -10 to -15C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
1000m plus frost in many glens at dawn; rising to 1200m middle of day, later well above tops. Lowering again into night to around 1000m, lower later.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 25th October 2026
Last updated
Fri 23rd Oct 26 at
4:15PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 70 to 90mph, gusts 100mph or higher over higher mountains.
Effect of the wind on you?
Severe conditions, mobility very difficult, repeatedly blowing you over; challenging even modest hills with significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Frequent rain, upland snow; most west
Widely showery, at times more constant precipitation near/west of A9, mostly morning; snow often falling above 900-1000m or later slightly lower, also some hail in heavier bursts. Breaks between showers later in the day.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive high and western tops
Cloud base varying, but often capping higher slopes, lowest and most persistent toward western side of Cairngorms to 800m, patches to 800m in showers. Some breaks higher up more often towards Deeside.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Intermittent bursts of sun, mostly east. Good visibility for periods, though slight haze; poor in precipitation, appalling at times if in snow and cloud on tops.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or 1C. Wind chill feels like -15 to -20C in exposure.
Freezing Level
Around 900m, may slightly lower but later rising again.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 26th October 2026
Last updated
Fri 23rd Oct 26 at
4:15PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 20-30mph, shifting southerly and lessening briefly; later 40-50mph, further rising into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
May be fairly small for a time, but deteriorating afternoon, to challenging conditions with significant wind chill later.
How Wet?
Rain arrives through afternoon
Most hills dry to start, just some spotty rain near and west of A9, snow above 800-900m. Rain approaches from the southwest through afternoon and will set in, persistent falls for a few hours at least.
Cloud on the hills?
Banks over tops, becoming extensive
Banks of cloud above 800-900m in the morning, may lift and break up briefly, perhaps to high summits, but then a broad deck of cloud lowering onto the tops as rain approaches, to become extensive to middle slopes, or low slopes southern Cairngorms.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%, lowering to 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun through high cloud, good visibility, increasingly clouding over to later become overcast and dull.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1C, slow rise, then rapidly afternoon towards 8C, to 11C into night. Feeling below 0C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
1000m at dawn, lifting well above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Stormy conditions widely across the mountains this weekend, peak wind speeds into Sunday over Scottish mountains with gusts 100mph on higher tops. Showery conditions for Sunday, turning back to snow on higher terrain in Scotland. Very wet ground conditions, beware flooding of many streams and rivers making some routes impassable. A relative lull by early Monday in Scotland, but the next weather system soon sweeps in from the southwest with more heavy rain and extensive mountain gales, continuing into Tuesday. Mild south-southwesterlies mid-late week; smaller amounts of rain, some drier windows toward east and south. Generally staying windy, particularly in Scotland. Some chance of a mid-late week ridge of high pressure in England and Wales, but unlikely to persist.